1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to multiphase DC-DC converters, and more particularly to determining optimal phase relationship between channels to reduce ripple.
2. Description of the Related Art
An AC-to-DC converter delivers power to a computer motherboard by way of distinct DC sources, such as, for example, consisting of a 12 Volt (V) source, a 5V source, and a 3.3V source. The current available from each of the DC sources is limited so that devices on the computer motherboard must adhere to a system power budget that limits the current drawn from each of the DC sources. Many devices on the motherboard use point-of-load DC-to-DC (or DC-DC) regulators to convert input voltages consisting of one or more of the DC sources to the precise output voltage required by the load device. The point-of-load DC-DC regulator must limit the current drawn from each of the DC sources so as not to exceed the capacity of any of the DC sources. If the power requirement of the device is such that it cannot be solely supplied by any one of the available DC sources, the point-of-load regulator must derive its power from a combination of the available DC sources.
One example is a graphics adapter card using a point-of-load regulator to convert both 12V and 3.3V to an output voltage regulated to a precise level below 3.3V, such as a voltage range of 1V to 2.5V (e.g., 1.25V). The precise level is necessary to properly supply the graphics processor.
Multi-phase DC-DC converters are commonly used as point-of-load regulators when single-phase converters are insufficient. A single-phase converter may be insufficient due either to physical or economic limitations. One of the economic benefits afforded by multi-phase DC-DC converters is reduction in voltage ripple on the output. In conventional designs, each channel is operated symmetrically out of phase with the other channels. Out of phase currents from each channel combine additively to result in ripple current with lower amplitude and higher frequency. Lower-amplitude and higher-frequency ripple currents require less filtering to produce an acceptable level of output-voltage ripple. The smoothing filter consists of fewer or lower-quality capacitors resulting in reduced cost, size, or both.
The present state of the art in multiphase power converter produces out-of-phase channel currents by staggering the operation of each channel by an angle related to the number of channels, N. In particular, each channel is operated 360°/N after the previously operated channel and 360°/N before the subsequently operated channel. This arrangement is optimal for ripple cancellation in multi-phase DC-DC converters in which each channel is powered from the same input voltage (e.g., when VIN is the same for all channels). When different channels have different input voltages, however, the optimal phase relationship between the operation of the channels is not 360°/N. Conventional methods make no attempt to implement an optimal phase relationship between multiphase converters having different input voltages.